The Old Acclaimed Music Forum
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Least likely to groove to it
Won’t miss it
Want the boys to leave again
If Loving It Is Wrong, They Are Ok With It
Stay sat
Won’t be cured by more cowbell
Stayin’ Alive
Won’t keep that number
Straight Edge
If that chick don't wanna know, forget 'er...
Sorry, couldn't resist.
Is it wrong that I'm proud to have moved this one up? I thought everyone loved this song!
No it's not wrong to be proud and maybe everyone loved the song but now The Boys Are Leaving Town.
Alex D : Germany has produced exactly one great band - and you're looking (or listening) right at/to them.
Come on Alex D.
Alex D : Germany has produced exactly one great band - and you're looking (or listening) right at/to them.
Come on Alex D.
I haven't ever listened to Can or Neu!, but I think you have to admit that (generally speaking) Kraftwerk stand head-and-shoulders above the rest of their compatriots.
Alex D : Germany has produced exactly one great band - and you're looking (or listening) right at/to them.
Come on Alex D.
I haven't ever listened to Can or Neu!, but I think you have to admit that (generally speaking) Kraftwerk stand head-and-shoulders above the rest of their compatriots.
Kraftwerk is the most influental band of Germany but that doesn't mean that they are the only great band.
Alex D : Germany has produced exactly one great band - and you're looking (or listening) right at/to them.
Come on Alex D.
I haven't ever listened to Can or Neu!, but I think you have to admit that (generally speaking) Kraftwerk stand head-and-shoulders above the rest of their compatriots.
I highly recommend listening to both Can and Neu! Trust me, you'll be happy you did. Also, considering Can's influence on many a modern band (Radiohead to name one), I think the influence discussion might be narrowing.
Alex D : Germany has produced exactly one great band - and you're looking (or listening) right at/to them.
Come on Alex D.
I haven't ever listened to Can or Neu!, but I think you have to admit that (generally speaking) Kraftwerk stand head-and-shoulders above the rest of their compatriots.
I highly recommend listening to both Can and Neu! Trust me, you'll be happy you did. Also, considering Can's influence on many a modern band (Radiohead to name one), I think the influence discussion might be narrowing.
I agree. When I heard first time Neu! it was only after minute I realise that it was a source of almost every band I've ever loved. The same thing happened when I listened to first time Nico's Marble Index (I heard the whole Fonal catalogue, Animal Collective etc.).
Wow, I only had 40 songs? That really makes my list useless. Sorry guys, just didn't have the time. 
No personal comments please
No personal comments please
"Je vais me gêner"
(I don't know how to say that in English)39(tie) Ramones - Blitzkrieg Bop (1976)
795 points
Rank in the 1976 poll : 4
Rank in the AM 70s list : 28
Fans : Miguel #7, Mindrocker #10
Beat on the punks with a baseball bat : Henrik #93
Alex D : I can only think of cingular/at&t's go phone commercials (remember them?), but this is the standard for all pop-punk songs to live up to.
39(tie) Sex Pistols, The - God Save the Queen (1977)
795 points
Rank in the 1977 poll : 7
Rank in the AM 70s list : 4
Fans : Mindrocker #1, Michel #10
Nevermind the Pistols : Miguel #100
Alex D : This would be in the 30-40s range if Johnny Rotten wasn't singing. It's an excellently written, horribly sung protest.
On a personal point of view, I can not see how this song could be sung in a more appropriate way ! Another song with #1 and #100 vote, proving, if necessary, the huge differences of tastes between AM Forum members (and that’s what we all like !)
38) Velvet Underground, The - Rock and Roll (1970)
796 points
Rank in the 1970 poll : 6
Rank in the AM 70s list : 166
Hey Baby, you know it’s not alright : Henrik #92
Alex D : VU got more catchy in 1970, but they also got much worse. Doesn't compare to their earlier works.
37) Talking Heads - Psycho Killer (1977)
798 points
Rank in the 1977 poll : 4
Rank in the AM 70s list : 41
Fan : Honorio #10
Qu’est-ce que c’est (que cette horreur) ? : Otisredding #100
Alex D : Qu'est-ce que c'est? It's delightfully weird, sometimes I wonder how it ever was a hit with David Byrne shouting all the nonsense he does.
Honorio : Just at the height of punk-rock some bands abandoned the guitars immersed in overdrive, now they sounded clean, funk-influenced (but without its warmth), sounding tense and nervous. The lyrics were no longer political and nihilistic but they retained the angriness and bizarreness, with Byrne as the perfect impersonator of an Anthony Perkins-style psycho killer.
36) Clash, The - Train In Vain (Stand By Me) (1979)
801 points
Rank in the 1979 poll : 5
Rank in the AM 70s list : 112
Fans : brose #6, Jonah #8
Sing in Vain (Stand Away) : Harold Wexler #99, Mindrocker #96, Miguel #96
Alex D : Amazing, amazing song. The Clash were a band who could do anything, they could play anything in any style, and it would still be the most punk thing you'd ever heard - this song is the best example.
And here ends what I would call "ventre mou" (nicolas, you will have to help me on that one), a group of song everybody seems to appreciate but nobody strongly supports.
Next song is 24 points ahead (which is the gap between Train in Vain and our #46, Family Affair), starting another dense group, of about 11 songs, including the most polarizing one.
Nassim, excellent presentation with all those refreshingly humorous comments. “Sleeping like Brother John”.
I don't find it surprising.
Every time I play Rock Bottom people are either charmed or totally rebuked.
First time i heard it (I remember it was in the subway in 1989 or 1990), I found it weird and interesting. I guess it stuck at the second or third listen.
The vocal performance on that song is simply breathtaking.
25) ABBA - Dancing Queen (1976)
852 points
Rank in the 1976 poll : 3
Rank in the AM 70s list : 21
Fans : Miguel #2, brose #10
Alex D : Definitely cheesy, but definitely great too. It's the kind of song you can't help but get stuck in your head, even if you're embarassed to admit it.
Honorio : If I ever should write an essay about “How to write a hit single” I would use DQ as example, able to please both the casual listener and the harshest critic.
24) David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust (1972)
863 points
Rank in the 1972 poll : 3
Rank in the AM 70s list : 30
No fans, no opponents.
Alex D : It ain't the best song on the album, but when that album is Ziggy Stardust it doesn't matter cause they're all better than 99% of songs out there.
Ending a bit above its AM rank, Ziggy is still beaten by 3 others Bowie songs, and even by one of the same album !
23) Michael Jackson - Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough (1979)
867 points
Rank in the 1979 poll : 2
Rank in the AM 70s list : 62
Fans : Jonah #3, Petri #4
Already had enough : Stephan #38 (/41), Michel #96, Brad #92
Alex D : Word association: you say "dance song" and I say "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough." If you're a DJ at a party, what song do you play to get people out there? "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough." You could be at a funeral and people would dance if you put it on. Hell, I took a Afro-Cuban dance class and this was our recital song. You just can't deny it - it's just an absolute classic, timeless song.
22) Big Star - Thirteen (1972)
872 points
Rank in the 1972 poll : 4
Rank in the AM 70s list : 504
Fans : Petri #1, Nassim #1, Midaso #10
: Alex D #100, Chris #95, Otisredding #92
Alex D : Officially the worst song I voted on for this poll!
Honorio : The perfect Polaroid picture for the teenage period, with its bitter-sweetness and its glory, with dreamy backing vocals and caressing acoustic guitars.
Nassim : As I said on some other polls, I’m probably more a fan of Elliott Smith version, but still, this impersonates for me what a love song should be. It’s not about pathos, suffering, exaggeration… it’s just over very simple, pure and direct feelings.
grumpf… Still, 482 spots ahead of its AM rank, that could have been worse.
21) Bruce Springsteen - Thunder Road (1975)
874 points
Rank in the 1975 poll : 4
Rank in the AM 70s list : 34
Fan : Chris #1
Alex D : A great song, and a very immediate one - when I first heard it I liked it more than "Born to Run", but that was before I realized how great that song was. It has just as many good moments, even if as a whole it isn't quite as good.
Bruce Springsteen falls short of having 2 songs on the top 20 !
I'll try to put videos for the top 20
22) Big Star - Thirteen (1972)
Fans : Petri #1, Nassim #1, Midaso #10
: Alex D #100 It would've been even funnier if the smiley was Alex D's comment. I'm suprised Thirteen isn't the highest Big Star song in the list. September Gurls in the top 20. Didn't see that coming.
Another suprise is Moonage Daydream. Will it be Let Down of the 70s (and I mean that Radiohead song, our #9 in the 90s poll).
Alex D : The Cure's best pop song - it's too bad we got ten more years of Robert Smith moping before his pop side came out again.
I don't know if anyone agrees but I think The Cure released their best pop songs in the 80's before Disintegration.
Some notices... 
Big Star - Thirteen (1972)
Fans : Petri #1
: Alex D #100King Crimson - Starless (1974)
Fans : Petri #2
Won’t hail to the king : Alex D #98
Robert Wyatt - Sea Song (1974)
Fans : Petri #3
Drowned : Alex D #96
Hmmm, was Won't Get Fooled Again your #1 Alex?
Big Star - Thirteen (1972)
Fans : Petri #1
: Alex D #100King Crimson - Starless (1974)
Fans : Petri #2
Won’t hail to the king : Alex D #98
Robert Wyatt - Sea Song (1974)
Fans : Petri #3
Drowned : Alex D #96
Hmmm, was Won't Get Fooled Again your #1 Alex?
That's really really funny - I bet you're enjoying my comments. "Won't Get Fooled Again" is actually my #24 - I'm guessing you have "Born to Run" in the lower 90s somewhere?
That's really really funny - I bet you're enjoying my comments. "Won't Get Fooled Again" is actually my #24 - I'm guessing you have "Born to Run" in the lower 90s somewhere?
Born to Run was actually somewhere between 45-50. Won't Get Fooled Again was my #87.
And I'm really enjoying reading your comments (and Honorio's and Nassim's too). I don't agree with all of your opinions but that's even more enjoyable.
Yes, the H Duo is a strong team.
But I swear we didn’t pact our votes, just see the position on my list of Henrik’s #100: “Layla” was my #9. Number nine, number nine…
3) Marvin Gaye - What's Going On (1971)
1194 points
Rank in the 1971 poll : 1
Rank in the AM 70s list : 3
Fans : Honorio #2, Chris #2, Alex D #2, Midaso #2, nicolas #6, Otisredding #8, sonofsamiam #8, Henrik #9
What’s going wrong? : Stephan #32 (/41), Michel #93
Alex D : IMO this is the greatest soul song of all time. It would be T10 on the string arrangement alone. Marvin's voice is a joy to listen to, and he turned in his best lyrics for this one - the message is timeless (unfortunately). It's a great example of contrasts - who would of thought such a sweet melody could deliver such powerful and deep ideas - and though I'm not religious, I really think the song feels like a gift from above.
Honorio : Maybe naïve but not bland, maybe old-fashioned but still relevant today (we still “got to find a way to bring some lovin’ here today”
, the message of the song still would be nothing without the smooth, silky and elegant music that delicately envelops it. The best prove possible that peace, love and understanding are more serious than funny.
2) David Bowie - "Heroes" (1977)
1313 points
Rank in the 1977 poll : 1
Rank in the AM 70s list : 12
Fans : Henrik #1, brose #2, Midaso #4, Brad #4, Michel #4, Jackson #5, Honorio #7, Stephan #8, Charlie Driggs #10
Alex D : "'Heroes'" shows I think the side of David Bowie we all wanted to see for the longest time - what he would be like underneath the persona. And it's beautifully done. Take the quotations around the title for what you will, but I think this is a genuine reflection of Bowie himself wanting to be a "hero".
Honorio : Sometimes fiction surpasses reality. Bowie peeped two lovers dating by the Berlin wall, unaware or the danger (legend says that it was Tony Visconti having an extramarital affair) and created a heroic love tale with “guns shot above our heads”. The awesome Eno atmospheres, Fripp guitar and Bowie vocal performance made the rest. Just for one day…
1) Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run (1975)
1404 points
Rank in the 1975 poll : 1
Rank in the AM 70s list : 6
Fans : Honorio #1, brose #1, Midaso #1, Alex D #1, Brad #3, Stephan #3, nicolas #3, Mindrocker #3, Otisredding #5, Chris #6, RockyRaccoon #8
Alex D : Dunnnnnnnnnnnnh-da-da-da-dunnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnh-dunnnnnnnh-dunnnnnnnnnnnh!!! This is a strong contender for #1 in the songs poll, and #1 here. If there was ever a song that made you feel like music could really save your soul, that rock could make your life better, this is it. Is it too big and overblown? Maybe. But it's only as big as the dreams you have to have to get out of Asbury Park, NJ or (insert your dying small-town here). Besides that, though, the execution is great, every little bit is perfectly placed, from sax to drums to extra reverb to (best part) to Bruce's "Huh!" He's The Boss for a reason - this song.
Honorio : Cars and girls. Maybe these backstreet Romeo and Juliet stories of the first Springsteen albums only happened in a parallel universe but introduced an epic tone in rock music almost unheard previously (at least in such heights) and almost unreachable after, even by Springsteen himself. Some things hurt more much more than cars and girls? Really?
I am both surprised and happy. I never thought that the boss would win an AMF poll !
You're great !!
